The Barnes & Noble Nook tablet. — Picture courtesy of B&NSAN FRANCISCO, July 19 — Barnes & Noble’s efforts to woo a young audience are evidenced by the US store network’s summer promotion, offering four free e-books with every Nook purchase until August 5.

Specifically, it is the two most recent Nook models that are being pushed, the 8GB and 16GB 7-inch display Nook Tablets, comparable in size and price to the Kindle Fire, Kobo Vox and Nexus 7; the more expensive iPad totes a larger 9.7in screen while the standard Sony Reader packs a 6in display.

Leading the promotion are Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly, the Charlie Higson novel The Enemy, Melissa de la Cruz’s Blue Bloods, and Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey — all four are the first in their respective series.

Once the Nook Kids Summer Reading Program has run its course, Barnes & Noble will turn its attention to a Disney picture book promotion that introduces the Nook to even younger readers.

In April, software giant Microsoft spent US$300 million (RM900 million) for a 17.6 per cent share of Barnes & Noble’s Nook division, promising to bolster the Nook warchest and loosening Apple and Amazon’s hold on the e-reader market. — AFP/Relaxnews